Vegan Guide Glasgow

The vegan scene in Glasgow is booming. I can barely think of another city where veganism is embraced as strongly by the local community and restaurant scene, whether they serve plant-based fare or cater to omnis. When I moved to Glasgow, I had no idea that I would still be there four years later and as a vegan on top of that. Ever since I turned vegan though, I could not imagine an easier place to live, with plenty of restaurants and street food markets to choose from, great stores focusing on health foods and vegan products and great local resources that make it easier to transition to veganism.

This vegan guide for Glasgow will tell you everything you need to know for a vegan weekend trip to Scotland’s largest city and how to prepare for it!

Vegan Restaurants in Glasgow

There are numerous restaurants in Glasgow that offer vegan options or even boast complete vegan menus. It’s almost expected these days that a restaurant should be able to cater to a variety of dietary requirements and so it’s very easy to find a place to eat out in all over the city. There is, however, also a growing number of fully vegan cafes and restaurants – and wouldn’t you agree that there is nothing better than being able to order anything off the menu without having to think about whether it is really vegan or not?

Soy Division

Soy Division wasGlasgow’s first vegan cafe and offers anything you would expect from a traditional Scottish breakfast cafe – sausage rolls, square sausage, bacon rolls and other Scottish classics like Scotch pie or Shepard’s pie. My personal is the full Scottish breakfast with secret-recipe square sausage.

Lotus

Lotus is Glasgow’s only plant-based Chinese restaurant and is operated by a lovely family from China who are serving the local vegan community with their favourite stir-fries and curries. The dishes can be a little heavy on the fake meat for my taste, so make sure you mix up your order with plenty of veg-based dishes.

In Bloom

In Bloom is a Nirvana-themed cafe near Charing Cross in Glasgow. It is located in a cosy space with little seating, but the generous sandwiches and toasties are worth the wait. On the menu you will find creative creations like a double-decker Big Cheese Steak sandwich, Polly’s Ploughman or Doner Kebab wraps.

Serenity Now

Serenity Now is the latest addition to Glasgow’s vegan cafe scene, and is named after an episode of the famous TV show Seinfeld. The menu changes weekly, but you will always find a variety of breakfast and brunch items, sweet treats and fresh juices.

The V&V Cafe

This cafe only recently turned fully vegan (after opening as a vegetarian cafe). It offers not only delicious Kashmir-inspired Scottish cuisine, but also has a retail section with vegan products, fresh bread, and cookbooks for inspiration. My favourite is the signature pakora toastie!

The Hug & Pint

This place is a gastropub and music venue in the West End of Glasgow. The menu is changing constantly, as dishes are replaced with new ideas as they run out throughout the week. I recommend going for a taster menu, to taste a little bit of everything.

Kind Crusts

Bagel and donut shop in the East End of Glasgow. Run by a woman with big dreams – one day she wants to turn it into a UK-wide chain with healthy lunch options – you can come here to stuff your face with deliciously filled bagels and weekly changing donuts.

Mono

Mono is Glasgow’s pioneering vegan gastropub, a music venue and shares the roof with a small music shop. The menu offers a mix between comfort food and Scottish classics, like tofu fish’n’chips or Mac and Cheese. My personal favourite is the spicy sausage and fennel pizza!

Stereo

Stereo was established by the same owners as Mono, but has a wildly different menu and vibe. While also a music venue, the eatery has more of a bar vibe, shrinking the dining area considerably during the evenings to make more space for pre-gig drinking. I love coming here for a Reuben sandwich during the day!

The Flying Duck

This is the budget-friendly little sister of Mono and Stereo. While the former two aren’t expensive either, the Flying Duck is frequented by students looking for affordable but delicious burgers and hot dogs. The pineapple burger is my go to!

The 78

The 78 is the fourth location in the Mono-Stereo family. The cosy gastropub lies in the West End of Glasgow and offers a small menu of classic pub grub – the likes of burger, nachos, mezze or quesadillas. I like coming here on a cold day to sit nearby the fire and drink a glass of vegan red wine.

Picnic

A cafe in the city centre of Glasgow that focuses on healthy lunch options for people who work or live locally. On the menu you find a variety of sandwiches and wraps, a soup and curry of the day, a great burger and different homemade cakes from the counter. My tip is to finish off your lunch with a freshly blended smoothie.

Tomillo

The latest vegan opening in Glasgow, so new in fact, that I’ve not tried it yet. It is a takeaway and delivery service offering exclusively plant-based dishes, filling the gap of much needed “safe” takeaway food in Glasgow.

Vegan Food at Street Food Markets

Admittedly, Glasgow has been a little late to the party of food markets compared to London, Berlin or Vienna, but there are a few options in town that will make every vegan heart beat faster.

The Big Vegan Fete

This is Glasgow’s only fully vegan food market and takes place once a month at the Flying Duck. The downstairs location inside a pub means though, that instead of food trucks serving up fresh grub, you should expect local producers selling their fare over little tables. It’s great to meet local producers, grab some sweet cakes and stock up on vegan household products. It is free to enter.

Big Feed Street Food Market

This market takes place once a month in a large warehouse near the river Clyde. The food trucks change every month, but the organisers make an effort to always have a few hot options available for vegans too.

Dockyard Social

This is a new street food market in the trendy Finnieston area happening once a month. You need to get tickets in advance (£5) but in return all dishes are sold at a set price of £5. There is always a variety of vegan and coeliac dishes available and you can see which vendors will be present on the website before you buy your ticket.

Local Resources for Vegans

Of course, it’s not all about addresses and food – sometimes it’s nice to hear personal recommendations from locals with similar requirements. That’s why I started Glasgow Vegan Guide, a website where I publish restaurant reviews, talk about current vegan events in Glasgow and also link to other vegan and vegan-friendly businesses, such as hair salons, catering services or clothing shops.

Another useful resource is the Facebook community Vegan Edinburgh & Glasgow, where locals exchange advice and share recommendations about all things plant-based and cruelty-free.

My top tip for navigating Glasgow as a vegan is to save places on your Google Maps so that you always know which vegan business is near you. This Glasgow city guide is a great start to get you going and will make sure you know about vegan restaurants in Glasgow to eat for days! If you’d like to read more – especially about my favourite vegan-friendly omni restaurants, follow along at @glasgowveganguide. Happy traveling!

Have you ever been to Glasgow?? Tell me about it in the comments below ↓↓↓

Hailing from Austria, Kathi is a vegan travel writer based in Glasgow. She shares her passion for travel all over Scotland on her blog Watch Me See and offers travel consultation for Scotland visitors who are overwhelmed with choosing where to visit. She recently launched Glasgow Vegan Guide - a platform for vegan and vegan-friendly business listings, restaurant reviews, and tips for vegan life in the city.

To be honest – I don’t know anything about it yet! Maybe once I’ve been there, or there is a little bit more info about it online. At the moment, there’s just a brand-new Facebook page and it seems like it’s gonna be junk food!!

Kathi it is cool how the vegan scene continues to explode around the globe. I would never think Scotland and vegan but the people are speaking. Or have spoken 😉 Here in Chiang Mai Thailand the Buddhist veggie scene and lack of dairy makes for vegan haunts all over but it’s neat how the world is adopting a different way of eating.Ryan Biddulph recently posted…Blogging Breather: Squirming Chopped Off Gecko Tail Chiang Mai Thailand

Hi Ryan, how funny – we went to Chiang Mai last October and loved all the fresh vegan food there! Our favourite place was probably Bodhi Tree Cafe 🙂 Glasgow is a great unexpected vegan gem in Europe – definitely worth a foodie trip!!

The variety of dishes and decor in these restaurants really makes me wish I’d had the chance to see Glasgow while I was in Scotland. It seems much more metropolitan than Edinburgh, based on your post, but then — I probably didn’t see enough of Edinburgh, either.Juliann recently posted…Auschwitz I

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